Logistics management is the part of supply chain management that plans, implements, and controls the efficient, effective, forward, and reverse flow and storage of goods, services, and related information between the point of origin and the point of consumption in order to meet customer's requirements.

No problem. We can use network marketing as an alternative. The company already has its strong network of customers who can spread the word about its products. They can encourage referral rewards for say every three customers who will buy our product or avail our service.

We can also announce a contest for the customers to buy the product and win a chance to get himself broadcasted for the product advertisement. We can ask them to send in their photo along with the contest application form which they get alongwith the product they buy. So we don’t have to pay them as we would otherwise have to pay to a celebrity.

A marketing mix and a promotional mix does have some differences, both being highly crucial for the success of a business. Marketing is very essential for the growth and continuity of business operations. It helps in creating new customers and retaining the existing ones to keep the business ongoing. Marketing focuses on all the elements of the marketing mix viz product, price, place and promotion while promotion focuses more on the customer- how to reach a product to its customers and how to sell it to them ultimately

Depending upon the increase or decrease in price rates, buyers may respond accordingly. Some buyers may assume that quality of the product may have reduced to to reduction in price or that the company may not be selling the product as per expectations. The other assumption that buyers may make is that prices may go down in the future and so may delay purchase. On the other hand increased price may lead to a decrease in demand as the product may be more costly for the consumers who may switch to another seller offering similar products at lower prices.

In the light of competition, it may be seen that competitors may initiate price changes. If the cutting off on prices does not affect the company, then the current pricing strategy itself can be continued to maintain the profitability of the company. However if the price change on one firm is affecting the other, then it can:

a.reduce the product price at par with competitors’ price or below competitors’ price

or

b. Provide added advantage to the existing product like better quality, or ‘a buy one get one free’ offer.

or

c.Provide better quality of the product at a higher price thereby not being at par with the competitors.

a.Understanding the customer profile : the tastes,preferences, habits of the customers may differ from person to person.

b.Determining the objective as to who would be the target market, whether the company wants to go for cost minimisation or not etc.

c.Type of channel members :Who all would be involved? Wholesalers, retailers?

d.The criteria on which the channel members would be evaluated and selected.

e.How many intermediaries will be involved in the overall distribution?

These days channel members are being accepted by companies as their partners. The intermediaries are even being asked to integrate their business with the companies which results in lesser costs, greater efficiency and improved customer service. Corporates like Airtel are adopting PRM (Partner relationship management) software to give that added advantage to their supply chain. They organise rewards and recognition programs for their channel partners and also organise proper channels though which partners can vent any of their grievances relating to payments, violation of codes etc.

The SCPCA method can be used to evaluate channel members.

a) Sales (S): How much sales each channel member can give within a cetain time frame

b) Cost(C): How much cost would be incurred for each channel?

c) Profitability(P): Which channel can give better profitability to the company?

d) Control(C): Whether company can have better control over its channel members or not.

e) Adaptability (A): Whether the channel alternatives are flexible enough to any changes or not. The channel meeting the objectives of the company is selected